


The Tainted

by TheTrashSunbae



Series: The Tainted [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: 1920s, Action, Alcohol, Baddy - Freeform, Biting - A lot of biting., Blood, Bonding, Canon Gay Relationship, F/M, Family, Fantasy, Fighting, Heir, Hypnotism, M/M, Multi, Murder, Muzzles, Partial Mind Control, Romance, Vampires, Violence, Werewolves, bad boy, nsfw-content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:34:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26142667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheTrashSunbae/pseuds/TheTrashSunbae
Summary: This place will bleed you dry.Blood and Iron forged the streets of London.‘Honor for those who helped build the city of wonders. Praise for those who keep it together.’Wesley Bancroft, a good for nothing rogue of an influential family, knows those words better than his own borders.When his brother dragged him to one of the high society parties to keep in touch with their most important trade partners, he meets a monster far worse than the greed of any human being.He knew that monsters were real but touching them is another level of risk he gladly takes.
Relationships: Original Character(s)/Original Character(s), Original Female Character/Original Male Character, Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Series: The Tainted [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1898401
Kudos: 5





	1. The dark streets of London

**Author's Note:**

> This is my attempt on a vampire story.  
> The art is made by me and I’ll try to update as much as possible.

He didn't mean to ruin anything that night.  
The party he and his group attended should've been nothing but a little meeting. Except for a few serious looking fellows nothing was out of the ordinary.  
Wesley's brother Carlyle was the one who got invited to this party. His big brother didn't really feel the urge to tell him more than that it was for the sake of the company.  
After his dad passed away Carlyle was the one responsible to look after his legacy.  
Wesley was just two years younger than him but even he knew that Carlyle was more fitting for the position than he was.  
His mind alone was enough to force much older much more experienced guys off their high horses.  
Still it was important that both heirs were present on this day.  
Killing some time while his brother was off talking to some other guys.  
Carlyle didn't know Wesley had managed to drag his friend Dudley Upton with him.  
Nothing would keep those weird people away from him like his weird pal.  
After two drinks he was already talking louder than he should about things he really should keep to himself.  
Wesley acted like it was nothing out of the ordinary, maybe because he was used to it.  
While Dudley talked about a, like he described her, charming young girly, his gaze wandered off until it met his brother who was talking to a man much larger than he was.  
One of his business friends he assumed.  
His brother's smile was warm and friendly, like always. Nothing could force him to raise his voice or to behave other than charming when it came to things about the company. Their father had been really proud of their little trading company.  
He had all right to be proud of it but Wesley didn't really see the joy behind it.  
The money was good, the job nice, but the people . . . he hated every single one of them.  
From his brother's stories alone, it would be unbearable for him to talk with those greedy bastards.  
With that thought in mind, he was already curious about the guy that stood in front of his brother. He had blond short hair that was neatly combed back.  
His clothes were elegant but modest. A black suit . . . nothing that would highlight him from those present.  
Maybe there was no need for him to brag like the rest of them.  
Once Dudley noticed that his friend didn't listen to his really interesting story, he stepped in front of him to get his attention.  
“Are you listening? Come on, I was being nice! I even told her to contact you.”  
Wesley smiled even if it was hard to notice.  
“If she's your definition of beautiful I guess she won't be my type, Dudley.”  
He opened his mouth to say something but did only react with a shocked gasp.  
“Wesley Bancroft, you hurtful man. I am certainly not blind. I know beauty when I see it!”  
Dudley seemed really pissed but he knew that he was joking. The poor guy couldn't contain his laughter even after sounding so damn serious before.  
This was much more fun with his friend running around like a madman.  
During those parties Wesley tends to drink to avoid conversations with those fine guys.  
He'd even ignore his brother, who wouldn't mind dragging him into his work.  
Talking about him, after witnessing Dudley's little ruckus, it didn't take Carlyle long to approach the both of them.  
“Would you keep it down?”  
There was a harsh tune in his voice as he tried to reason with mostly Dudley.  
“I'm sorry, I couldn't bridle his temper.” It didn't sound like an apology at all. Wesley didn't want to be here in the first place, so why should he try to control his friend? It might sound childish but he wanted to show his brother what he thought about his little act here.  
Playing the nice guy so others would consider a partnership with their company.  
They didn't need more. It was hard enough to keep the ones they had.  
For some reason, more and more reserve their contracts.  
Wesley asked Carlyle about this matter but he assured him that everything was fine.  
He knew that he was lying. But as the head of their family, Carlyle's words were absolute.

Right behind his brother was the dull looking fellow from before. Even now he didn't seem that important.  
One look at the little group with a nagging Dudley and an annoyed Carlyle made him smile. At that moment, Wesley knew what brought this guy here. His charm was very much present. Even with just a little smile he seemed friendlier and more reliable than the rest of those old bags.  
Every motion, no matter how little, showed the elegance that this person had.  
Just like his brother, he seemed to be a born businessman.  
At the same time, it didn't affect him as much as he thought it would. Knowing his brother's methods, he didn't see a person in front of him but a beast in men's clothes.  
So his gaze only laid on the strangers for a brief moment before he tended to his wine that was still in his hand.  
Carlyle wasn't really thrilled about Wesley's behaviour.  
“Well, this is my little brother Wesley. Wesley, this is Jaxon Rutherford.”  
That name certainly didn't ring any bells for him but he still offered a free hand to shake for the man.  
Without further hesitation Jaxon held it for a firm handshake. A little too firm for his taste  
“How nice ~ Carlyle talked about your . . . rather charming attitude. ~”  
He didn't like the smile he had on his face while squeezing his hand.  
“Funny. He didn't mention you with a single word.”  
He could almost hear Carlyle's smile cracking without even looking at him.  
“Stop joking, Wesley, of course I mentioned Mr Rutherford.”  
It would be impossible for him to recover from this, but Wesley didn't care.  
Jaxon didn't really seem to mind it though. His smile was still there and seemed even more honest now.  
“Charming indeed . . . Like a log. ~”  
If he tried to make Wesley's words fire back, he didn't succeed.  
Why should he care about this guy?  
But now that he could look into his eyes, he noticed something hollow in them.  
No matter how much he smiled and how elegant he looked, something wasn't right.  
For the first time, he felt smaller than this man. Not the height but the sheer aura of this weirdo was much more than he had ever faced.  
“Wouldn't that be a nice match. Two guys with manners like cavemen.”  
For him this conversation was over before it even started. After he had forced Jaxon to let go of his hand he simply moved away from the group. He pushed his empty glass in Carlyle's hand before leaving the room. Behind him was his brother, who couldn't believe what had just happened, a drunk Dudley that also couldn't believe the situation because he wasn't really listening and a weird guy that was still smiling.

~ ° ~

His cheeks still felt warm. Even more now in the cold air. Wesley was pissed beyond belief. It wasn't the words that made him feel this way but the guy's reaction. Usually he could get rid of annoying people by behaving like a total jerk, but this guy didn't even care. It was all a big joke to him and Wesley couldn't stand it.  
With a slight huff he lit his cigarette and took a deep breath. Filling his lungs with the taste of tobacco.  
He didn't mind the sharp smell because it was the only thing that calmed him down. It was a bad habit and he knew that but why should he care?  
Wesley had started smoking a few years ago when he stole one of his fathers cigarettes.  
He could remember the bitter taste and how he couldn't stop coughing.  
His mother was furious but couldn't do anything about it because his dad didn't mind.  
It may be nothing for a young boy like he was back then but he would need it later.  
Refusing a cigar from another person was rude after all and how embarrassing would it be if he couldn't handle it then.  
It was a stupid thing to do, and a stupid thing to say, but here he was now. Smoking to calm down from a fight he couldn't win.  
After a few more minutes had passed, he heard the clumsy steps of his friend slowly approaching him.  
Dudley was drunk. Way more than before. Once he was close enough to lean against Wesley, he did so.  
“Pal . . . your brother is furious. ~ He was apologising like crazy and left me there with his drink. I got bored so . . .hello. ~”  
He smelled like wine. Nothing out of the ordinary but it was still unpleasant.  
“Let's go home, I need to pee really bad.”  
Wesley didn't want Dudley to embarrass himself even more than he already did.  
Slowly but surely he managed to support his friend enough to force him to walk in a certain direction.  
“You are fucking heavy, Dudley. Fat fuck.” It wasn't easy to have him lean on his rather slim body. Wesley wasn't small but compared to Dudley he kinda looked like a shrimp.  
“Talking about fucking . . . That guy kept staring at you. ~ He seemed head over heals for your performance back there. ~”  
“That has nothing to do with fucking, Dudley, just with you not being able to read the situation. That guy was probably just happy about me acting like a baby.”  
Dudley wanted to stop but got pulled by Wesley who didn't really want to waste another moment on the streets.  
“You are no fun at all . . . speaking of which . . . I feel sick.”  
He didn't have to hear more and reacted immediately. There was no way in hell that he would want this silly man to puke all over him. After heading to one of the alleys, he held his friends hair while he was vomiting. This wasn't an unfamiliar sight but he couldn't get used to the smell.  
This happened all the time. Dudley's family wasn't really rich or even close to something better than the common people. Nonetheless he supported him and his work. This crazy bastard was a writer and a pretty good one on top of that. Sadly he tended to play around instead of getting his work done.  
Wesley enjoyed his company and his stories. If he was a little less funny he would have left him there to puke his guts out.  
Once Dudley had calmed down a little, Wesley tried everything he could to get him back on his feet. Dudley had almost passed out and it was impossible for him to lift his heavy friend.  
“Where do you hide all this weight? Do you keep rocks in your pockets?”  
After some more effortless tries he at least shoved him as far away from his puke as possible, before leaning him against the next wall.  
Hopefully it wouldn't take him too long to sober up enough for them to walk home.  
During that time he didn't leave his side just in case. He didn't want anyone to rob his unconscious friend. Dudley didn't have much on him but the amount of shit he would give him if he let someone take his stuff would be huge.  
While he was keeping an eye on Dudley, he couldn't help but to notice how different they were. Dudley was really tall, not as tall as this man that had been with his brother, but a little taller.  
He had long dark hair that had been a nuisance since forever. Dudley was awful when it came to taking care of his appearance. . . and then there was Wesley. He was just as bad when it came to his hair so he just cut it short. It was a little longer since he had been too lazy to cut it but it looked alright. Fine enough to attend such boring parties.  
He wasn't as tall as Dudley or his brother and looked even younger than them, so he grew out his beard to look manlier.  
It did work. People guessed him to be older than he actually was.

While he had been lost in thoughts, Dudley would start mumbling about his usual nonsense. Every now and then Wesley looked over to his sleeping friend, just in case he might feel sick again.  
After a while he was certain that this would take a lot longer than he had hoped for.  
This wasn't how he wanted this night to end. Sitting in an alley beside his vomiting friend.  
Lovely.  
It would have been a lot easier to just wait for his brother back then, but there was no way in hell that he would ask him for help. The possibility to meet that man again was just too high.  
It was only when a guy approached them, that he wished for a less present ego.  
He couldn't ignore the stranger that now stood directly in front of him. If Dudley would've been less drunk, they could simply walk away. But as they were now he'd have to leave him behind and he wouldn't dare to do so.  
The man looked at Wesley for literally minutes like a total weirdo. He didn't seem poor enough to be a thief. His clothes were pretty neat and he must have showered recently. This didn't make him less suspicious though.  
“What?” He had enough of him just starring like he was some sort of freak.  
“Ah, pardon Sir, I was just passing by and couldn't help but to notice you two here. Are you alright?”  
The man had a rather gentle tune in his voice but something was odd.  
“My friend here needed a break. He can hardly hold his liquor. There's nothing I can do now and I don't need your help either.”  
He didn't seem too pleased with his answer. He fiddled his fingers like a little kid before trying again: “Well, me and a friend just left from a party and are on our way home as well. I thought maybe we could help you out?”  
Wesley stood up with an annoyed sigh.  
“Listen. I said we don't need your help. I have no money to reward you with nor the nerve to endure your babbling, so get lost.”  
Now that he was standing in front of him, he noticed how small the stranger was compared to him. He seemed weak and even flinched when Wesley had moved to stand up. Still, the man stood there like he wanted to try it one more time. It was when he saw a shiny object in one of his hands that gave him the upper hand.  
“So. You want to rob me with that little gun of yours? Go ahead then. You will see that I have no money with me.”  
Just now his heart had skipped a beat. It was a slight hint of fear or surprise that had poisoned his usually calm mind, once he laid eyes on the weapon in front of him.  
“Shut it! Hands up and start walking!”  
So not a robbery but a hostage situation?  
“What about my chaperon?”  
“I only need one! Now, move!”  
Wesley sighed once more but started walking in the direction the little weirdo wanted him to go. He had to think of a way out of this.  
“Any plans on where we are going and why?”  
But instead of an answer he just felt the tip of the gun on his back, so he kept walking.  
The guy stood close enough, so even if someone would pass them, they would not notice the weapon right away. To his regret no one seemed to be out at this time. No wonder this little punk dared to take him hostage.  
They walked for a while before he noticed another figure. He seemed to wait for them and moved once they were in sight.  
“You took your sweet time.” He sounded pissed. Well, not as pissed as Wesley was right now.  
“Do you have any idea how dangerous this area is?”  
The smaller one nodded and tried to come up with an excuse, but Wesley opened his mouth before he could  
“That doesn't seem to bother you thought. I wouldn't be here otherwise.”  
He seemed surprised that Wesley dared to even speak a single word. His anger was replaced with an amused smile.  
“Aren't you a feisty little shit? You have a gun held against your head, ya know?”  
He took a look at his partner before looking back at Wesley.  
“Do you have any idea what's going to happen to you now?”  
“No, but I bet you'll tell me with that weird smile on your face.”  
The man laughed once more while putting a hand on Wesley's shoulder.  
“Yeah, something like that.”  
He pulled him closer before showing him a rusty knife.  
“Follow me, little lamb.”  
He didn't like that at all, but before he could say something he heard a silent click when the boy behind him unlocked the weapon.  
The taller man looked pretty old but seemed to be really full of himself, now that Wesley couldn't really do something. In a fair fight Wesley believed he could easily destroy that weirdo. On the other hand he saw some scars on his face and his arms, so the old man had at least some experience when it came to fights.  
With two weapons used against him, Wesley couldn't do anything but play along for now. He was forced to follow the old man while the little shit behind him didn't leave his side.  
Wesley tried to memorise the way they were going just in case he would manage to run away from them. Right now it wasn't really possible. They walked deeper into a part of the city he had never set a foot into. The buildings were old and worn down. Something smelled really bad and the alleyways got smaller and smaller with all the houses almost squeezed together. It was easier to build more apartments that way but it looked a mess.  
The ground was uneven and one could trip easily if they wouldn't focus on the stones underneath them. Having this in mind, he came up with a little plan and just actually tripped on one of the leaping stones.  
The fall was a little clumsy from his side and he scraped his knee, but the group was still forced to stop.  
The old man turned around and chuckled. It must be pretty amusing for him to watch a brat tripping over.  
“What are you doing?”  
He took his time to stand up so the taller one was forced to grab his arm to help him up.  
Wesley used this moment to reach out for the knife and grab it.  
With one smooth motion it found itself in the old man's chest, before his partner could even react.  
The man fell down with a dull sound. He didn't move while his blood slowly covered the ground underneath him.  
Wesley pulled the knife from the man's chest before turning around.  
“Move.”  
He didn't think the boy would dare to pull the trigger on him, even after this. Waving around with a weapon was easy. Dangerous but easy. Now, pulling the trigger was something else. Once their eyes met he was surprised how he couldn't find any sense of fear in those before him. Quite the contrary. He still held the gun, but his hands had stopped shaking.  
It was when he heard something moving that his muscles tensed up. Maybe there were three of them? Before he could turn around completely, something drew the air from his lungs. Someone had rammed their knee into his stomach. He gasped before he found himself back on the ground. The punch forced tears into his eyes. That made it hard for him to recognise the person in front of him.  
A tall man, his shirt now soaked with his own blood. But it couldn't be possible. The old man stood in front of him like he didn't just have a knife shoved into his chest.  
“You little shit. You almost hit my heart.”  
Another kick found its way into Wesley's stomach and almost made him puke.  
“Fuck this. I'll bleed him dry right here and leave his corpse for the rats to feast on.”  
Wesley could hardly focus. His whole body hurt.  
Once the man pulled him onto his feet, he didn't hesitate to at least try to kick him. This didn't seem to bother him though. He just slammed him against the wall with little effort.  
This old bastard was insanely strong.  
Up close he seemed even uglier than before. His face was covered with dark veins and even his eyes had lost their colour. Nothing but black, bottomless darkness. Once he opened his lips for a sinister grin, Wesley noticed the pair of long, sharp teeth.  
His blood froze by the sheer sight of them.  
Still struggling, he couldn't stop the man from forcing his head to the side. After he leaned in, his breath was cold on his heated skin. Now that his mouth was that close to his ear, he shivered from the deep chuckle he was granted before something sharp pierced his skin. Wesley didn't let out the scream that was built up in his chest while his blood got drained, sip after sip. While the pain numbed his body, he still managed to reach up with one hand. With his fingers he dug into the wound where the knife had been earlier. It was already healed but not completely, so two of his fingers fit in easily.  
The monster flinched and stopped his meal to look into the eyes of his still fighting prey.  
“Still feisty . . .”  
He didn't like the fear that forced his body to freeze. There was still blood dripping from the wound on his neck. The sheer feeling of the cold air on the burning wound made him feel sick. The man focused on the wound once again. He was almost mesmerised by the sight of his feast spilling from the boy with the cocky tune in his voice.  
“You taste quite good. Maybe I shouldn't kill you, it would be a waste. We'll have to work on your attitude though. Be good for now, boy, and I promise I'll be more gentle.”  
He seemed pretty full of himself. With the upper hand, how couldn't he? Wesley could barely move and got more sick every second.  
The scream of his little friend stopped the monster from taking another bite out of him.  
“Calm down, boy. I'll leave some for you, like I pro-”  
The loud shot from the fired gun stopped him mid sentence. Startled from the noise, he let go of Wesley who slid down on the ground with his back still against the wall.  
The monster's grip had been the only support for his weakened legs.  
Those had given in immediately but he had enough strength left to lift his head.  
His sight was still blurry but there was a disgusting sound coming from the direction where the gun had been fired.  
The smaller one had collapsed after something crushed his head like a ripe fruit.  
His blood was all over the place and the body twitched for mere seconds before laying motionless on the ground. The smell of blood was overwhelming but something wasn't right. There was a foul smell coming from the fresh blood.  
“You've got a lot of nerves, shedding blood in my territory, boys.”  
The voice was distant but somehow familiar. Wesley could hardly focus on the situation, but he didn't have to look at the monster to know that he was the scared one now.  
Slow steps came closer and closer. The man walked so close that it was almost painful to listen to, at least when you are at the receiving end of his anger.  
“Listen! I will leave! I had no idea!”  
Wesley was almost amused by the change of tune in the monster's voice.  
His chuckle made the old man take another look at him.  
“You want him? Take him!”  
He was terrified enough to give up his prey, but the steps didn't stop.  
It was when Wesley noticed another object in the monster's hand that he got alerted.  
The knife wasn't the only weapon this thing had as it seemed.  
Before he could draw the hidden gun, Wesley put his full body weight on the man's legs to make him trip. He fell down with a surprised yelp that was silenced with a disgusting crunching sound. The second his head met the ground, his saviours foot pressed down on the back of it, crushing it under his heels with little effort.  
It wasn't until Jaxon forced him to stand up, before Wesley recognized him.  
More his annoying smile. Even now, nothing seemed to bother this guy.  
“What are you d-”  
He didn't have the strength to talk. Jaxon supported him before his legs could give in again.  
“What's wrong? ~ Cat got your tongue?”  
But Wesley wouldn't get an answer now.  
“Relax, I got you.”  
Before Wesley could resist, he took him on his back to carry him away from the scene.  
He was almost relieved that this bastard was here now. Thinking about this later would ruin his mood drastically, but for now he wouldn't let it pass.  
“Wait . . . I'm heavy. . .”  
It was more a mumbling of words than a full sentence.  
“You are not. Maybe that thick head of yours is. As long as you don't puke on my neck I'm fine with carrying you around, lightweight.”  
Again this amused tune. But Wesley wasn't stupid. He knew that these guys were monsters. Like the ones in Dudley's stories. Oh wait, Dudley . . .  
“What about . . . Dudley?. . . Go back.”  
He pulled on the end of his coat he could reach in an effortless try to stop him.  
“Don't worry about him. He's alright.”  
Wesley wasn't strong enough to stay conscious. Blood was still flowing from his wound, but this didn't seem to bother Jaxon at all.  
Before everything turned black, one specific thought crossed his mind.  
That only a monster could kill another monster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading the first chapture of 'The Tainted'.
> 
> More pictures will come in the future or so I hope.
> 
>   
> 


	2. Bloodletting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This place will bleed you dry.  
> Blood and Iron forged the streets of London.  
> ‘Honor for those who helped build the city of wonders. Praise for those who keep it together.’
> 
> Wesley has a hard time processing the last night.  
> Thankfully Jaxon is there to guide him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part Two of 'The Tainted'.  
> I just want to say that I love Wesley with all my heart.  
> Thank you.

The whole room was spinning when he opened his eyes. His body felt heavy and a sharp pain rose from his chest when he tried to sit up.  
This room wasn't familiar, nor was the couch he was laying on. With a clumsy motion he shoved the coat from his chest that had kept him warm. The scent, he recognized it. He had smelled it when he was on Jaxon's back. His perfume was pretty unique.  
The wound on his neck had been carefully bandaged, but thanks to the blood he had lost, the fabric stuck to his skin.  
“Don't move. Two of your ribs are fractured and I think I don't need to remind you that you lost a lot of blood.”  
He didn't notice Jaxon until he heard his voice.  
Jaxon stood up from his chair and walked closer, but he didn't push him back down.  
“You are safe now, so just relax.”  
No matter how soothing his voice was, there was no way in hell that he would believe even a single word.  
“You killed those two.”  
Jaxon smiled. He must be pretty amusing to watch. The boy that had annoyed him during the party was now sitting there like a kicked puppy.  
“I did and you helped me do so.”  
He was right. In a way. Wesley was the one who pushed the guy so Jaxon could step on him.  
“How did you kill them? You didn't seem to use too much force.”  
“The young one was already weak in blood, so he didn't fight back. Thanks to your little actions, the other one was too weak to heal himself fast enough. He was immediately dead.”  
“That didn't answer my question.”  
He smiled once more while sitting down next to him.  
“I'm stronger than I look.”  
“Do you think I'm stupid? You were mocking those beasts for making me bleed in your 'territory'.”  
He swallowed the sudden fear he felt while looking at Jaxon. He wasn't really different from when they first met . . . but now he knew more.  
No matter how nice he smiled, there was something sinister in his eyes.  
“I wasn't able to kill this man, even though I stabbed him in the chest. That motherfucker bit me and drank my blood. You can't fool me.”  
Jaxon leaned in closer while placing one hand on his shoulder.  
“You hit your head very badly.”  
Oh. That's how he wanted to play? Fine.  
“I know what I saw. I felt his teeth in my neck very clearly . . . But mostly, I saw the same bottomless abyss in his eyes. They looked just like yours.”  
“Hm, aren't you a little too rude then? I could easily snap your neck.”  
“I'm still breathing, aren't I? If you wanted me dead then why am I still here?”  
Jaxon looked at him for a bit before chuckling “Good point ~ You sounded a lot more stupid when we first met”  
Wesley raised one of his brows “Excuse me?”

“I was joking, don’t worry”  
Jaxon was a weird one. He couldn’t tell what he was thinking.  
“How do you feel?”  
Wesley should be safe so he tried to relax, even if he was in the same room with the very man that had killed two others.  
“I’m alright. Just a little sore, that’s all.”  
Jaxon was a little too close for his taste. Personal space didn’t seem to be known by this fine gentleman.  
“Good. ~ I’ll take off the bandages, so try to hold still.”  
He tried to remove the bloody cloth very gently. The spots where the blood stuck on the fabric stung a bit, but Wesley wouldn’t complain about that. Jaxon gave his neck a long judging look before getting up from the couch.  
“It’s not bleeding but we should still cover it, don’t you think?”  
He threw the rags into the trash before getting fresh ones.  
“This won’t affect me in any way, right?”  
“It will just hurt for a little while. This guy bit you, but he didn’t share his blood with you. You also didn’t die from the bite, I would’ve been forced to kill you otherwise.”  
“Kill me? When I’m already dead?”  
This didn’t really make sense to him. What was he even talking about?  
“A vampire’s poisonous bite can turn a human into an undead creature, if said person dies because of it. Your body would crave for flesh and blood, while your own shell would rot with every passing day.”  
Jaxon sat down next to him once again to patch up his wounds. Again his touch was very gentle.  
“You could only be stopped if your head gets smashed or your heart pierced. That’s why you are here. I wanted to make sure you won’t terrorise London as a walking corpse.”  
He talked so calmly about this while Wesley’s blood had left his face. It sounded way too obscure to be true.  
The second his usually neutral look had left his face, Jaxon stopped in his act.  
“You are alright now. Don’t worry.”  
“I’m not worried.”  
But he couldn’t take Jaxon for a fool. Once he was done, the man put a hand on Wesley’s knee.  
“Let me at least ease your pain. You mentioned your little friend yesterday, remember? I can assure you that he’s alright. While I was out looking for you I found Dudley instead. He didn’t make any sense, so I followed your scent after bringing him home.”  
This actually took a huge load off his mind. . . In a way.  
“Wait. Why were you looking for me?”  
“To beat you up. After your little show at the party I wanted to teach you a lesson.”  
The smile he showed him after he had finished his sentence was calm but weird, coming from a man like Jaxon.  
“But enough of that. Are you hungry?”  
“Starving, actually.” There was no need for him to be shy now.  
“Good.~ Come on then.”  
Jaxon helped him on his feet and supported him the second his legs dared to give in.  
“Don’t worry, it’s just the effect of the poison. Vampires torpefy their prey with their bites. You should feel better in a few hours.”  
A few more steps and Wesley could sit down in front of the dining table, thanks to Jaxon.  
“Do you live here?” It seemed too small for a guy like him.  
“I stay here sometimes. I eat here and sleep, when it’s not a mundane matter. It would’ve looked weird to take your beaten up self to my domain, wouldn’t it? Such a sight could seriously damage my good reputation.”  
“I guess you’re right. People like to talk after all.”  
This seemed to be a good enough answer for him. Jaxon disappeared into the kitchen, while Wesley was sitting there. He was still pretty tired and this whole thing felt like a weird dream.  
It didn’t take his host long to return with a plate and a cup of coffee.  
Just some eggs and bread was laid on top of the plate, nothing fancy, but for Wesley’s empty stomach everything would be fine. He wasn’t really picky when it came to food.  
“Are you not eating?”  
“I could, but it wouldn’t do me any good. I can enjoy the taste but my body would reject it sooner or later.”  
Hearing that made him pause for a moment. He was hungry but wouldn’t it be weird to eat in front of him now?  
“Oh, go ahead. You don’t have to be shy.”  
His whole behaviour seemed a lot more natural now. It wasn’t really visible at first but Wesley felt at ease. More than he did before.  
“So, you really are one of them then?” He took a bite out of the bread. It was a little dry, but the fresh coffee made it go down easily.  
“I guess you already figured that out, Wesley.”  
He was quite sure about it, but he needed to hear it from Jaxon to fully believe in his own mind.  
“Then why do you keep fresh food here if you don’t eat?”  
“I need to feed as well but those are for my prey afterwards. I don’t pick my food from the streets, no, I know every single donor personally.”  
This seemed better than what those other guys did.  
He took another bite of the bread before he tended to the eggs.  
Even Jaxons gaze didn’t seem to bother him now.  
“Is there a reason that you are this nice to me? Didn’t you say you wanted to beat me up?”  
“I did but wasn’t this little ruckus enough? . . . but you are right, there is a reason for my kindness.”  
It was obvious that a guy like Jaxon wouldn’t help a brat like Wesley just because he felt like it. Wesley had cleaned the plate pretty quickly and just focused on his coffee for now.  
“What is it then?” He wanted to get straight to the point.  
“I’ve been in touch with your brother for a few weeks now. We speculated for a while now about how we could come to an agreement and well . . . It’s pretty convenient for me that I stumbled over you. Of course your brother wouldn’t trust me completely, but if you’d work for me, we might have the opportunity for a clean contract. Also, I wouldn’t have to worry about your wicked tongue if you would work as my assistant.”  
This was his idea of a good solution?  
“Me? As your assistant? I have no idea about your work.”  
“You don’t have to. You’ll stay with me, help me with a few things and give me some of your blood. In return I’ll guarantee your safety, your brother’s and I’ll promise to make your family’s company a success.”  
Wesley was a little overwhelmed now.  
“So . . . you want my blood? . . . because you can’t have my brother’s?”  
This sounded a lot more logical than to just pick Wesley up like a stray dog.  
“That wouldn’t be the same now, wouldn’t it?”  
“Wha-”  
“You two aren’t related by blood or am I wrong?”  
Wesley froze for a second. There was no way for Jaxon to know about their families' circumstances.  
“Did Carlyle mention that . . . ?”  
Jaxon shook his head and pointed at his nose.  
“I knew your parents, we were quite close to be completely honest with you. At first I thought maybe your father had a little accident, but now that I know the scent of your blood, it is pretty obvious. A bloodline changes slightly over the ages but not this drastically.”  
This was actually pretty amazing. No one ever talked about this. Wesley and Carlyle didn’t really look alike, but as head of the Bancroft family, no one dared to question Carlyle.  
“I know it’s none of my business but why would you give up the company?”  
“Carlyle is older.”  
“But not the heir.”  
He had a point there. Wesley was never interested in the work his father was doing. No matter the money or the fame. He liked his simple life.  
“He does a good job. What does it matter then?”  
“Oh, I didn’t mean to speak ill of the management. I was just curious.”  
So was he planning to blackmail him with this information? The company's reputation would be ruined if someone would hear about their family problems.  
“Hm. So? Should I beg now, so you won’t tell anyone about it?”  
“No. ~ I already told you what I want. I even mentioned the idea to your brother. He seemed quite pleased.”  
He did what?  
“What did you tell him?”  
“I told him that I would teach you some manners. Some business talk, a little rough housing, yada yada.”  
This was a joke, right?  
“And Carlyle agreed to this? When?”  
“You were out cold, so I used the time to tell him a few lies about your well being and about our little arrangement. So, what do you think was his answer to this?~”  
Again that damn smile.  
“Fuck.” If Carlyle wanted him to stay with that weird weird man, he’d do anything to keep Wesley there.  
“Does he know about your . . . thing?”  
“Well, if he did that would make him a lot more cold blooded than I thought.”  
“Funny.”  
This was a weird situation. Jaxon safed him, but now he wanted the same thing. Almost the same thing.  
“You want me to work for you? On top of that, you want to suck my blood?”  
“That’s about it. I could get my blood from anywhere, but this would make things a lot easier. Your blood also smells really good.”  
“Charming.”  
This was disgusting. Maybe because he couldn’t understand how someone was able to drink warm blood.  
“Yeah, that guy mentioned something like that.”  
Jaxon wasn’t able to hold back his laughter. It seemed to be quite amusing how lightly he talked about what had happened.  
“I’ll take good care of you. You could stay at my place . . . not this one. So? What do you say?”  
There was a lot he could’ve said to him now. The point that he knew about Jaxon’s nature made the situation pretty tricky.  
“This sucks. Yeah, fine.”  
He grabbed the hand that was offered to him, once Wesley agreed.  
Jaxon’s skin wasn’t cold, which was surprising. He felt a lot warmer than the guy from the day before.  
“Only starving vampires feel cold to the touch. Lesson one.”

~ ° ~

The situation got out of hand pretty quickly. Once Wesley had agreed to work for him, he had to sign two contracts. One was his employment contract and the other one to settle, that he would give his blood to Jaxon.  
He even got copies from both contracts.  
“Aren’t you afraid I could show those to someone or that one of my friends could find them?”  
But Jaxon wasn’t concerned, quite the contrary. He seemed pretty pleased with the situation.  
“You are staying at my place, Mr. Bancroft. I believe I can handle you quite well by now.”  
Jaxon didn’t allow them to waste too much time. After Wesley was done with his coffee, they signed the contracts right away before driving to the Bancroft estate. His brother was pleased to see him but didn’t question the wounds or why he played along now. Jaxon said that he already talked to Carlyle about what had happened. Mostly. That someone tried to rob Wesley and how Jaxon took him in afterwards. Knowing that Wesley wanted to ‘change his life’ he had agreed to work for Jaxon, because this would help both of their companies.  
What a joke.  
It saved them a lot of time and Wesley wouldn’t be able to come up with an excuse right now anyway.  
It was a little too fast for him though. Jaxon had planned out every single detail while he was knocked out after the attack. Wesley was angry at himself for thinking that he and Jaxon had been equal. They were far away from that.  
“You should know that I live with my little sister. She’s a cheerful little bird but don’t let your guard down.”  
“Ehm, yeah, sure.”  
He wasn’t too thrilled about that, actually.  
“I assume she’s also a vampire?”  
“Aren’t you a smart one?~”  
So in the end he had to deal with two vampires.  
“What’s her name?”  
“Gianna Rutherford. You don’t have to worry about her by the way. She might act a little rude at first, but she won’t hurt you.”  
Now that he had put it that way, Wesley worried about his well being even more.  
At least he knew that Jaxon wanted him alive, so he could calm down for now.  
“Sounds great.”  
“You’re not scared now, right?”  
“Not scared but worried. I’ve never met your kind before and suddenly you are everywhere. Like cats.”  
“Oh? That might make it worse but there are a lot more of us out there. You’ll have to get used to it.”  
“Rats then.”  
That was easier said than done. Once they arrived at Jaxon’s home, Wesley took his bag out of the car. He didn’t really have much with him to begin with. Jaxon had made fun of his little bag at first, but that would also mean that he could get some clothes for Wesley’s wardrobe.  
They walked straight to the front door and even from outside, the house seemed more suited for Jaxon than that little apartment.  
Inside was even . . . worse?  
The furnishings were dark and seemed pretty old. The paintings looked even older.  
Once they were inside, a woman with blond curly hair greeted them.  
“Speak of the devil. This is Gianna.”  
She had a similar smile, which freaked him out. On top of that, her whole body language was elegant and petite.  
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I assume you are Jaxon’s new partner?”  
“Not exactly. This is Wesley Bancroft, my new assistant and blood donor.”  
Wesley offered her a hand. Now that Jaxon had clarified his position, Gianna seemed a lot more at ease. She took his hand and slightly squeezed it. It was hard to guess her body temperature thanks to the gloves she was wearing.  
“Jaxon, I said no puppies.”  
Was she talking about him?  
Wesley tilted his head out of sheer confusion. Once she let go off his hand, she placed hers on his cheeks instead.  
“Well, no hard feelings. He’s adorable. ~”  
He was a little overwhelmed. Wesley had no idea what he was supposed to do now.  
“Oh, he smells really nice. I see you already had a taste?”  
She was referring to the bandages on his neck.  
“Unfortunately no. Our little friend got involved with some rude fellows yesterday. I took it upon myself to get rid of them, before offering him a place to stay.”  
“So he really is a puppy then? Poor thing.”  
She touched his cheeks really gently but he was still on high alert.  
“I’ll free him from your grasp, Gianna. I bet Wesley wants to see his room now and I need a drink.”  
Jaxon pulled Wesley away from Gianna. She was pouting now that her brother took the pup from her.  
“Don’t give me that look. You two have plenty of opportunities to meet.”  
He didn’t give those two enough time to answer and just dragged Wesley with him. His room was upstairs, next to Jaxon’s office. It was small but comfy. He had noticed how every window had thick curtains in front of them and this room was no exception.  
“So? Are you alright?”  
Jaxon’s voice caught him a little off guard. His mind had to adjust itself to the whole situation.  
“Yeah? Gianna seems nice.”  
“Of course she did. We have to work on that, Wesley. She entered your mind pretty easily.”  
“Pardon?” He didn’t know what Jaxon was talking about.  
Gianna was really gentle and sweet.  
“You were lucky. She mesmerized you immediately but she didn’t do anything because of me.”  
This didn’t help him at all. He was still confused.  
“You should’ve seen your face. She had you literally in the palm of her hands. Your body relaxed immediately.”   
Now that he said it, he really felt a little more at ease while looking at her. It felt so natural that he hadn’t noticed it until now.  
His mood hit a new low after realizing what just happened.  
They had seen each other for the first time and this vampire girl already tried to mess with his head. Wesley started to unpack his things in silence.  
He was also mad at Jaxon for sounding like he was making fun of him.  
“Don’t you have anything to do but to watch me put my shit in the drawers?”  
“No, not really. I’m waiting until you are done.”  
“Why? Do you need anything?”  
Jaxon took his hand with a chuckle.  
“I was serious when I said that I wanted a drink.”  
Ah yes, he remembered hearing that from him just now. He thought it was just an excuse so they could leave Gianna behind.   
“Oh.”  
“Don’t worry. You can take a shower first.”  
He gave him some of his clean clothes and pointed to a door. Wesley’s room had his own bathroom. Nice, but nothing he could appreciate now.  
He knew that he couldn’t argue with him, so he just played along and left the room.  
A shower sounded like heaven.   
Once he had closed the door behind him he let out a soft sigh.  
“What did I get myself into?”  
He took off his clothes that still had some blood on them. After yesterday he didn’t really have the time to change them. His brother couldn’t see the blood thanks to Jaxon, who had lent him his coat.  
His body was still sore and without his clothes, he could see the bruises on his chest very clearly. He knew what was waiting for him so he took his sweet time. The warm water felt really nice and the clean clothes afterwards made him look like a human again.  
He had tried to dry his hair with one of the towels that someone had already left there for him. The bandages had to come off in order for him to clean the old blood from his wound. Now that he could lock in a mirror, he could finally inspect the bitemarks. It didn’t look that bad but he was sure that it must have been worse yesterday. He had put on a black shirt, socks and black pants. This was a lot more comfy than the suit he had worn before. After half an hour had passed, Wesley dared to leave the bathroom. Jaxon was still here, sitting with his legs crossed on his bed. He offered him a hand once Wesley was close enough.  
“Come here, Wesley.” His voice was soothing.  
He knew that Jaxon wanted to assure that his prey wouldn’t get cold feet.  
Wesley himself was his prey right now and he didn’t like the thought of it at all.  
Nonetheless he took the hand that was offered to him.  
“What now?”  
“You just get comfy for now. You can sit down, lay down or you could sit on my lap?”  
“No way. I won’t sit on another dude's lap.”  
Jaxon started laughing and pulled him closer.  
“Don’t be shy, Wesley. ~ I just thought you might want to hold onto something while I feed?”  
There was no way he’d sit on his lap like a little kid.  
“Trust me, I’m completely serious. This would make things a lot easier.”  
There wasn’t a way around it as it seemed.  
“Fuck . . . Fine. Get on with it. God damnit.”  
Jaxon pulled him on his lap, so he was facing him. This whole position was a joke. With Jaxon’s face being so close to his, Wesley couldn’t help but to get embarrassed.  
“One word and I’ll kill you.”  
“Your behaviour is really appetizing. No wonder that guy offered to keep you alive.”  
Jaxon had wrapped one arm around Wesley’s waist while the other one held his chin up.  
The vampire took a good look at Wesley’s face that was flushed with shame. For him, a guy shouldn’t say those things to another. Once he was satisfied, he let go of his chin.  
“Hold onto me. It won’t hurt much.”  
“I’m not worried about the pain.”  
Still, Wesley held onto Jaxon’s shoulders just in case. The vampire had focused on the wound on his neck. He licked over it, which caused Wesley to flinch. This was just weird. The hand Jaxon had used to hold his chin found its way to the back of his head. He didn’t pet him and just let it rest there.  
Suddenly he could feel a throbbing sensation from where Jaxon touched him.  
His body gave in immediately. Wesley’s mind was drunk with delight, like there was nothing to worry about. He was still well aware of what was happening, but there was no fear. The pain when Jaxon bit into his neck was almost not noticeable.  
He could only hear him swallow generous swigs of his blood. In this dream-like state, it almost felt good. Wesley didn’t notice when Jaxon stopped to lick over the fresh wound.  
“Wesley? Look at me.” He cupped his face with his hands. Wesley looked at him and he noticed that Jaxon’s eyes weren’t as lifeless as they had been before.  
The bottomless abyss had some fire gleaming inside now.  
Jaxon’s face didn’t seem to have any flaws besides Wesley’s blood that covered his lips.  
He just remembered what they were doing and tried to shove him effortlessly.  
Jaxon seemed relieved about his action.  
“Good. You seem to handle it quite well.”  
They stayed in this position a little while longer before Jaxon helped him from his lap and on the bed. He was still dazed but he felt better than last time.  
“I healed your wound. With the other poison removed it was easy...you are not listening, are you? Well, nevermind then.”  
“I am listening, just not to you.”  
He didn’t make any sense and he didn’t care.  
“I see that you’re perfectly fine. Good...and here I was, worrying about a little brat.”  
“A brat? You old fuck, who are you calling a brat?”  
“The tasty treat in front of me.”  
Wesley felt the heat returning to his cheeks. Was he seriously blushing?  
“God, stop. You really do sound like an old man now.”  
He rolled over so his back would face Jaxon, who chuckled almost too silently to notice.  
After the vampire stood up from the bed, Wesley felt his hand resting on his shoulder.  
“Sleep now. I’ll wake you up for dinner later.”  
Jaxon left the room right after that. All this talk made Wesley feel like a child for real. He was the brat and Jaxon the big brother, apparently.  
This sounded a lot more stable than his real family. His brother didn’t even hesitate for a moment, when Jaxon explained their working relationship. Maybe they had this planned all along. Carlyle was too naive to see what beast lingers inside his boss. If he knew, maybe he would still have agreed, since Wesley seemed a lot more tame. Who wouldn’t be next to a goddamn vampire? He wouldn’t blame Carlyle nor Jaxon. At least not yet. Now that his body was laying on this comfy bed, he realized how sleepy he really was. Before this moment he just felt a little sore. Now he could hardly keep his eyes open.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote a few things for this series and I'm far from done.  
> Thank you for reading!


	3. This dog bites

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This place will bleed you dry.  
> Blood and Iron forged the streets of London.  
> ‘Honor for those who helped build the city of wonders. Praise for those who keep it together.’
> 
> One surprise after another hunts Wesley in his new home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part Three of 'The Tainted' !
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy it so far.  
> More will come in the near future.

Wesley felt a slight weight on his body before he even opened his eyes. He was laying on his back, his arms slightly raised over his head. They were held firmly by a pair of gentle hands connected to the person sitting on top of him.  
“Good morning.” He clearly recognized Gianna’s voice. Being pinned underneath her didn’t even give him room to flinch.  
“Get off me.” His own voice was still a little husky. He tried to shove her but somehow her small body hid a lot of strength.  
Once he got a better look of her, he noticed that she was barely dressed and immediately averted his eyes.  
“What’s wrong? Are you perhaps shy? ~ Don’t worry. You can relax. ~”  
Even though she talked so calmly, there was no way for Wesley to relax now.  
“I just wanted to taste something sweet, so I thought I could visit you for a minute.”  
“Not you too. Give me a break.”  
She chuckled before bending over. Her face was just a few inches away from his. Her fingers were gently intertwined with Wesley’s.  
“Please Wesley. I want to know what’s so special about you. It’s been ages since Jaxon got himself a blood pet.”  
“There’s nothing special. I work for him.”  
This started to get out of hand pretty quickly.  
She didn’t seem satisfied with his answer and started to grind her lower half against his.  
“Wait! Stop!” He tried to get up, but Gianna pushed him back on the bed, before she locked her lips with his. She forced her tongue in his mouth with such a strength that Wesley couldn’t keep her from doing so. He opened his mouth slightly so he wouldn’t accidentally bite her tongue.  
Not that it would hurt her, but Wesley didn’t want to risk his own safety. His ribs still hurt and struggling would only make it worse. Gianna pulled back after a while and took a good look at him. She seemed satisfied with his reaction and eased her grip on one of his hands to grab Wesley’s wrist instead.  
Slowly his hand was set on one of her breasts. Wesley flushed immediately and his protest was silenced with another kiss, before he could even open his mouth. He tried to pull his hand away from her body but Gianna didn’t let him. The kiss was a little longer than the first one but ended sooner or later.  
“Be a good boy now. You can touch me all you want if you behave.”  
Wesley couldn't even react fast enough before the door swung open. Gianna flinched and climbed off Wesley just as fast.  
“Out.” Jaxon didn’t sound pissed off, but the calm tune in his voice wasn’t assuring either.  
“God, you are no fun, Jaxon. I just wanted to see what the fuss was about. How did you even get here so fast? I was being so careful.”  
“One of the servants saw how you snuck into Wesley’s room.”  
Her little rant wasn’t loud enough for Wesley to hear. He went up and stepped away from the bed to be even further away from Gianna and Jaxon.  
“You keep a living being here and expect me not to take a bite? Weak, brother, even for you.”  
“I made myself pretty clear, Gianna. This is between me and him. You are not allowed to interfere or even hurt my partner.”  
She didn’t really seem that bothered about his words but this alone made her shut up. During that, Wesley thought about the feeling that was still lingering on his skin. This wasn’t the first time he touched a woman's chest but this was the first time it felt so … chilling.  
Touching Giannas body even though the cloth of her dress had been like touching snow. With a soft huff he opened his shirt and stepped closer to Gianna. Her glanze was locked on his bare chest for a second. She seemed really confused which would be a lot more funnier in another time or another place. Wesley was quite serious now when he grabbed her hand to place it on his chest this time.  
“Wha-...?”  
“Jaxon said a cold vampire is a starving vampire. You were freezing, so I don’t mind.”  
The two of them showed totally different reactions to his answer. Jaxon looked almost surprised while there was nothing left of Gianna’s attitude from before.  
“So you don’t only smell sweet.” She mumbled too much for Wesley to even recognize what she was saying.  
Gianna looked at Jaxon who just leaned against the door. He watched her every move but didn’t say anything to stop this.  
His silent agreement was enough for Wesley. He wouldn’t let her starve, even if Jaxon had something against it. Wesley could do what he wanted with his body after all.  
He sat down on the bed and pointed at his lap. Gianna sat down with little hesitation and bit down on his neck. It hurt a lot more than when Jaxon bit him. The wound was burning, but it was still not painful enough to compare it with his first time.  
After this, his throat must look like a piece of cheese. Covered with tiny holes.  
It wasn’t long before Wesley felt a little dizzy. He leaned his forehead against her shoulder, which stopped Gianna in her act.  
“Oh my god. I’m sorry, Wesley!”  
“I’m fine. Everything is peachy.”  
She climbed off his lap and took a long look at him. He gave her a little winky thumbs up.  
“I’ll get you something sweet to drink. Don’t you dare move, understood?”  
She didn’t wait for his answer and rushed out of the room.  
Jaxon stepped closer once she was gone.  
“Did you know that she was thirsty?”  
“We are always thirsty...But no, I had no idea that she was starving. It’s hard to tell with her. Recently she didn’t leave her room, not until yesterday.”  
He huffed slightly while massaging his temple.  
“She’s still young. It’s hard for her to control her true nature.”  
“How old is she?” He was curious about both of them. Wesley had called him an old man but in reality, he had no idea how old Jaxon really was.  
“Let’s just say you and I have some things in common. She isn’t my sister but we are related by blood. I made her my progany at the age of twenty one. That was thirty years ago. My sister, her grandmother, died that day and with her died Gianna's last guardian. My sister didn’t want me to give her immortality but Gianna was more afraid of dying than turning into a monster.”  
Now Wesley felt like shit. He didn’t feel good to begin with but now he felt emotionally bad.  
“I’m sorry.”  
“That is unusual for you, Mr. Bancroft. ~”  
You don’t have to worry about us. Gianna seems to like you. Even more now. There are just a few who would accept her for what she is now, and you just gave her your blood without thinking twice.”  
He looked at Wesley, but more at the wound on his neck. It seemed to be distracting.  
“Her feeding habits are terrible. This looks painful.”  
Jaxon leaned closer and licked over the wound. Wesley flinched immediately and covered the spot with one hand.  
“Hey.”  
“Calm down. Take a look at it.”  
He handed him a little mirror that he had swooped from the nearby table.  
To his surprise there were none of the wounds left.  
“We feed from the living, so we need to stay hidden. Healing wounds is our specialty.”  
“That’s incredible...What about my bruises?”  
Jaxon grinned really wide. It was a little horrifying.  
“If you want me to lick you all over then…”  
“No!... I thought about using magic and not your tongue!”  
“Ah, right. Our saliva can heal small wounds. Maybe I should’ve mentioned that.”  
“Oh? You think?”  
But Gianna returned before this could’ve escalated a lot more. Wesley mumbled a little thank you before he hid his face with the cup. Inside was fresh tea mixed with a lot of sugar.  
“I hope you feel better now. I’m so sorry.”  
She seemed really worried about him and after what Jaxon had told him, he wasn’t really surprised. Even though she acted a little bitchy earlier.  
“Nah, I’m perfectly fine. I swear. ~”  
He sugarcoated his words with an honest smile. She wasn’t as tense once that sight hit her.  
“Alright, but I’ll let the servants prepare some food for you. ~”  
She rushed off again and Jaxon stopped Wesley before he could interfere with her plan.  
“Let her go. It’s easier, believe me. If she wants something, It’s pretty much impossible to stop her.”

~ ° ~  
The next three days went by pretty easily. Jaxon and Gianna fed on him only once, so he had enough time to recover from the bloodloss.  
Gianna slept during the day. If he could believe the stories it was obvious that she did. Vampires hate the sunlight. It kills them. Jaxon, on the other hand, told him otherwise.  
Young and starving vampires burn under the sunlight. The much older vampires can survive much longer but it weakens them drastically.  
A short demonstration proved that fact.  
Jaxon had held his hand in the sunlight for a few minutes. The skin turned red after a while but healed just as fast. He had told Wesley that this was thanks to his blood. He was glad that he could help the both of them but that didn’t mean that he’d get used to it.  
To avoid uneven worktime Wesley had to change his daily routine. He slept mostly during the day so he could do his job as Jaxons assistant when the vampire was awake.  
It was not impossible but he woke up sometimes during the day. This would change eventually once he’d get used to it.  
Every ‘morning’ Wesley would have time to eat something that was already prepared for him. Sitting on this big table all by himself was weird and he seemed almost relieved when Jaxon or Gianna kept him company.  
This morning was a little different. Wesley sat in front of his empty plate and half empty cup of coffee before Jaxon joined him. He had a box in his hands that he put in front of Wesley.  
“What’s that?”  
“A box?”  
He’d never drop his awful sense of humor now, would he?  
Wesley assumed that whatever was in there would be for him, so he just opened it. The item was small and black. A facemask? It kinda looked like it. Once he held the leather mask in his hand it reminded him of a muzzle.  
“Are you planning on getting a dog? If so, then no way. Dogs are awful.”  
More like scary to Wesley. He hated those beasts. They are loud and annoying.  
“No, that’s for you.”  
“Come again?”  
Jaxon took the mask away from Wesley to show it to him.  
It really was a leather muzzle. Inside were some metal pieces that Wesley couldn’t quite understand. What use had those things?  
“I was invited to a special party and you’ll come with me. We can’t have this kind of relationship without introducing you to the order. Now, before you ask what I am talking about, the order is like… a club. A bunch of old vampires with enough money and influence to cause some severe damage.”  
A club of old vampires. Delightful.  
“Great. So what about that thing?”  
“Yes, there are a few rules to follow and this is one of them. As a human you have to wear this. Vampires are proud and jealous creatures, so I don’t want anyone to harm your mortal self by feeding you their blood. If you get thirsty there I’ll take the mask off while keeping an eye on you.”  
This sounded really weird. Weird enough to leave Wesley sitting there with one raised eyebrow.  
“Let’s see if it fits, alright?”  
“You better are not fucking with me.”  
But other than that he didn’t resist.  
Jaxon seemed pleased and ordered him to open his mouth a little. A weird request for a mask, but he did as told. The metal parts made their way into his mouth. Once he felt the leather on his face he had to shut his mouth. He heard a little clicking sound before Jaxon bound the leather belts that would keep the muzzle in position. It was a tight fit but wide enough to be ‘comfortable’, As comfortable as a muzzle could be.  
“Looks good. Now, try to say something.”  
Weird to ask this of him but soon Wesley noticed that it was not possible for him to talk or even open his mouth.  
“You can’t?”  
He shook his head. Wesley assumed that there was something wrong with it but Jaxon just smiled.  
“Good, so it works.”  
Up until now Jaxon had been pretty decent. While working he had always tried to keep a good atmosphere up but this was the complete opposite. Wesley was pissed.  
“Oh, don’t look at me like that. It really is for your own good. You know your temper. I can handle your foul mouth but these people are a little different.”  
It was not like it was uncomfortable but annoying. Knowing that he couldn’t win he shrugged instead and leaned back into his chair. Jaxon smiled and leaned in closer to peck his cheek. For a moment Wesley was surprised he didn’t take the opportunity to bite him.  
He had been close enough after all.  
“Let’s get you dressed up nicely, We want to impress them, don’t we?”  
He was a little too happy for Wesley’s taste…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this far!  
> I was very anxious to post my work online but I feel better now, because I can share what I love.


	4. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This place will bleed you dry.  
> Blood and Iron forged the streets of London.  
> ‘Honor for those who helped build the city of wonders. Praise for those who keep it together.’
> 
> After an invitation to the order Wesley has to show himself from his best side. Which isn't fitting for a dead mans dance party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you are still as thrilled as me!  
> Enjoy!

Wesley had tried to open the muzzle a few times but failed. The lock that held the belt in place wouldn’t budge no matter how hard he tried. Jaxon had the key to the lock, what made Wesley feel like his pup even more.  
The vampire had chosen a normal black suit for Wesley with a red shirt underneath the blazer. It was already past midnight before they arrived at the place.  
A big, old building with a creepy atmosphere.  
Plenty of people stood outside to smoke or just to enjoy the cold breeze.  
Wesley wasn’t in a good mood.  
Ignoring everyone else he kept his focus on Jaxon who had tried to bring his human to dress up properly.  
No, he’d leave the top button open. It wasn’t much but at least a little fit against the vampire. This and the missing tie. He didn’t want to impress anybody.  
Jaxon seemed fine with it after a while.  
“Don’t walk off. Stay close to me.”  
That shouldn’t be too hard. That’s what he thought. Inside were a bunch of people he didn’t recognize. He thought this would be a much smaller party but Jaxon wasn’t lying when he said there were a few more of his kind in the city. Wesley also had to bear in mind that not all of them were bloodsuckers. Some of them were confused humans or like him… stuck.  
Like he was told he walked right next to Jaxon. No one seemed really dangerous but so didn’t Jaxon until he bared his fangs.  
On the way to the other side of the hall, which had been decorated a lot fancier than the party where Jaxon and him had met.  
Jaxon greeted some of the guests while Wesley looked around. There were only a few people with muzzles like him. Some had full face masks while others walked around to offer their blood like it was mere candy.  
He even could’ve sworn that two of the guests were on it behind one of the tables. Wesley was right after he dared to take another look at them. The hell were they thinking?  
On the other hand Wesley shouldn’t be the one to talk. After all he was a troublemaker himself but this went a little too far for his taste. Some of the guests who stood nearby just ignored them while others just enjoyed the show. He looked away once Jaxon moved to greet another formal looking fella. He wasn’t really eavesdropping so he didn’t notice when his name fell every now and then. Once the stranger talked directly in his direction only then he started to listen.  
“He looks like a bright young man. Still, I’m a little surprised, Rutherford. Your last partner looked a lot more feeble.”  
This one was a funny looking man. A little smaller than Wesley and a little rounder, not fat though.  
“I remember. She was only a good friend. Nothing else. Wesley works for me. I expect you to be on your best behaviour since he agreed to accompany me here tonight.”  
The man nodded before looking at Wesley once more.  
“I know this must be tiring, young man. All these formalities and strangers. As long as you act politely you should be fine. Ronald Alby is my name, by the way. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”  
He held his hand out to Wesley who accepted after a short while.  
His grip was firm but gentle. Like his whole self apparently.  
To excuse his lack of words Wesley bowed his head a little after pointing at the muzzle.  
“Oh yes. Those stupid things. Don’t worry about it. Say, I hope it’s not too uncomfortable?”  
Wesley shook his head. Of course those things weren’t really pleasant but it wasn’t too awful either.  
This guy was alright. Sometimes he looked like a big cat. Every loud noise made him shift his gaze for a bit before he acted like nothing happened.  
After some time Jaxon interrupted the little guy.  
“Excuse me. I need to talk to a colleague. I know I said you should stick close to me but this will only take a minute. You’re in good hands with Mr. Alby, so don’t worry.”  
Wesley only shrugged and put a hand on Ronalds shoulder. The poor guy flinched a little. He didn’t expect Wesley to be this touchy after they just had met.  
It was almost like Wesley had to keep an eye on Ronald than the other way around.  
Nonetheless Jaxon seemed pleased with the outcome.  
“I’m back in a few minutes. Stay put and don’t touch anything.”  
Would it be wrong to give a ‘wuff’ as an answer? If it weren’t for that muzzle this would definitely have happened.  
After Jaxon had left, Ronald looked less tense.  
Wesley didn’t really mind the vampire's presence unless he was too close to him.  
So he saw Ronalds point here. Once they were ‘alone’ the little guy started talking again. At first with a low voice until he gained more confidence. Apparently Wesley was good to talk to. He didn’t mind it at all.  
Every now and then Wesley couldn’t keep himself from chuckling due to Ronalds cheerful way of talking. The little fella was so nervous that he forgot about the muzzle multiple times and offered him a drink.  
After the third time Robert’s face shifted and Wesley only knew about the reason once a heavy hand got placed on her shoulder.  
He didn’t even flinch since he had been on high alert since they had walked into this building.  
His calm reaction seemed appreciated by the stranger who found himself in Wesley’s field of view seconds later.  
“I can hardly imagine he’d enjoy even one of the beverages here, Mr. Alby. Mostly blood or expensive wine. He looks more like a guy who wouldn’t say no to whisky or rum.”  
Robert didn’t answer and just took a sip of his drink to avoid the conversation.  
The guy was a lot taller than Wesley. He seemed to be middle aged but his dark hair already had some gray spots. It was neatly combed back and old glasses were placed on his nose.  
That one looked like a typical bad guy. Someone who could be a bully for sure or at least it seemed to be the case for Wesley. He wasn’t impressed by him.  
“You must be Jaxon’s boy. His scent lingers all over you. Tell me...isn’t that thing a little uncomfortable?”  
He reached behind his head to pull on the lock that held his muzzle in place.  
“I’d love to talk to the person who Mr. Rutherford chose to be his companion.”  
Wesley didn’t even have to do anything. Once that guy was too close to him Ronald waved a little to get the man’s attention.  
“Excuse me, Mr. Oakley. I’m supposed to keep this young man out of trouble. If you’d be so kind not to mess with my task I’d be really grateful.”  
Was he trying to help? Wesley would’ve chosen a much more aggressive approach.  
This didn’t mean that it didn’t work. It kinda did. Bad for Ronald now was that Mr. Oakley didn’t really appreciate his action.  
“I’m sorry. I don’t think I was talking to you.”  
His gaze fell on Ronald who immediately looked a lot smaller than he already was.  
This guy seemed to be really dangerous. His whole body language felt like trouble.  
“I beg your pardon but Jaxon said I should keep an eye on him-”  
“Nonsense. This is a party, isn’t it? Just calm down and get me a drink, will you?”  
It was more than obvious who the bigger fish was between those two. Ronald looked a little puzzled but did not dare to talk back to him. Wesley couldn’t just stand there and watch. It was a stupid habit but Wesley was more of an active guy. Handling things on his own.  
Before Ronald could actually wander off Wesley stepped between him and Oakley, who almost looked surprised.  
He reached for Ronalds cup that was still half full and emptied the liquid out over Oakley’s head without hesitation.  
Suddenly it got a lot more quiet. The music was still playing and most of the people kept talking but the ones who were close enough to witness this immediately stopped mid sentence.  
Ronald was a lot more pale and grabbed the now empty cup out of Wesley’s hand.  
For once Oakley actually seemed to take a closer look at the boy who stood in front of him. He was drenched in ‘expensive’ wine. A dry chuckle left his throat as he wiped loose strands of hair from his forehead.  
“You really are a young one. Do you have any idea what you just did?”  
When Wesley still didn’t avoid his gaze Oakley’s mood shifted. He relaxed and even showed him a big smile. That kind that showed teeth. In his case it was sharp, long teeth.  
“You’re a tough one, aren’t you? The thing is, even if you act calm I can still hear your heartbeat very clearly, boy.”  
Oakley roughly grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.  
“Almost like a scared little mouse.”  
They locked eyes for a moment before the vampire started laughing.  
“That’s not fear what makes your heart beat, isn’t it? You’re excited? Why?...Do you want to fight me? How delightful.”  
His grip tightened.  
Fear wasn’t his trigger, he was right about that.  
This party just got a lot more interesting.  
“Mere humans should learn where their place in life is. On the bottom.”  
Oakley needed little force to push him against the next table. His grip had tightened even more now. It was hard for Wesley to breathe but he wouldn’t give in. One of his hands got a hold of a long object. Maybe a knife or a fork. Even a spoon would do. He knew he wouldn’t be able to hurt him but maybe he could gush one of his eyes out.  
Once he had a firm grip on the object he lifted his arm to ram it into Oakley’s eye. It actually was a fork but before he could actually hit him with it, the vampire stopped him with his free hand. He had almost been close enough to scratch him.  
“Careful. We don’t want you to hurt anybody.”  
Wesley was pretty sure he’d be the only one who would get hurt between them two. Oakley took the ‘weapon’ away from Wesley before lifting him with little effort. It was almost scary how strong this guy was.  
“Let me show you your place.”  
He threw Wesley with such force on the table that it broke under his weight. The pain left him gasping for air that had left his lungs after he collided with the hard wood.  
He was pretty sure the table wasn’t the only broken thing. His chest started to hurt again and a decorative vase fell on the ground beside him and shattered. His field of sight was dazzled for a moment before he managed to crawl back on his knees.  
A pained growl was all he could manage to form in this state.  
“You’re still conscious, boy? Impressive.”  
Wesley got pulled back on his feet again before Oakley punched him in the face. The vampire used only a tiny bit of his strength but it still hurt like hell.  
It was hard for Wesley to stand on his feet now. If it weren’t for Oakley holding him by the collar of his shirt he wouldn’t even have enough strength to sit straight.  
Oakley noticed how weak the human was and pulled him closer.  
“Should I just bite your head off?”  
He pulled his shirt open to take a good long look at his neck. Thanks to Jaxon the bitemarks had healed up nicely so he shouldn’t have much to look at.  
“A human should just learn who rules this city. You are just prey and an obedient prey will be handled nicely. Behave. We don’t want you to get hurt … more.”  
Wesley knew what he was trying to do now. The hunger in his eyes was showing once he stopped examining his neck. Before Oakley could lean even closer Wesley forced him to stop. There had already been a small amount of blood filling the air with it’s scent. Oakley was sure it was from the punch that he may have caused Wesley to bite his lip from the sudden force but he was wrong. Wesley had grabbed one of the shards that belonged to the broken vase. He held it on Oakley’s throat to keep him from coming any closer. The tight grip around the sharp object had caused a small cut on the palm of his hand. Not that he cared about that. The vampire was far more dangerous than a small cut.  
Oakley seemed almost impressed. Still, his attention mostly laid on his injury. Even a man like him couldn’t do anything against his true nature. Almost gently he got a hold of Wesley’s wrist. He squeezed the most sensitive spot to force the human to let go of the shard which broke into even smaller pieces once it hit the ground.  
After this nuisance was out of the way Oakley didn’t even hesitate and just licked over the fresh wound. The slight burn left Wesley gasping before he tried to shake him off.  
His hand was tightly wrapped around Wesley’s wrist. Almost like an iron chain.  
He sucked on the fresh wound to draw even more blood, ignoring the humans little fits of protest.  
“Stop struggling. You make this almost exciting. ~”  
Wesley didn’t bother looking around to find someone to help him. It seemed to be too much of a good show to stop this. The only one missing in this picture was Ronald. Maybe he did run off even thought Wesley had helped him. He wouldn’t blame him. Once the wound had healed from Oakley’s saliva the vampire almost looked disappointed.  
“You taste pretty good. I bet the others can’t wait to get a sip from you. They’ll once I’m done with you.”  
Wesley had stopped struggling and just locked eyes with him, narrowing his eyes a bit while doing so.  
“Somehow I’ll get rid of that feisty attitude of yours, boy.”  
His sinister grin proved that he couldn’t wait to teach him a lesson. Due to the look in his eyes this must have been the most exciting thing for him in ages.  
Gladly this little brawl got stopped by Jaxon. Behind him stood a really nervous looking Ronald.  
“I believe this one belongs to me, Mr Oakley.”  
“That one is your? I couldn’t tell. You are usually not accompanied by strays.”  
His grip got softer but he still held Wesley in place.  
“I was just about to show him some tricks. ‘Sit’ would be a good start.”  
“Let this be my concern.”  
Oakley laughed but let go of Wesley eventually who stood a little wonky on his feet now.  
“Mr. Rutherford, I’d gladly take this little burden off your shoulders. Showing a pup it’s place after the rudeness he just showed me should be fair enough.”  
Jaxon took a good long look at Wesley before showing a cold smile.  
“I don’t think that will be necessary. After all you seemed to have proven your point and like I said … This one is mine.”  
The tune in his voice had shifted drastically. It was now filled with anger while he was still calm enough to even frighten Wesley at this point.  
Oakley looked at him for a while before nodding.  
“I assume you brought him here to make it official? Then we’ll have lots of opportunities to continue our little banter.”  
Jaxon didn’t move until Oakley stepped away from Wesley. Only then he shifted his attention to the human. Without saying a word he supported hom enough so he could walk. Even when it was only very slowly.  
Ronald helped him after a while so they could take him safely to one of the separate rooms this house offered it’s guests.  
Once Wesley had the opportunity to sit down on the couch that stood in the middle of the room, he looked up.  
Jaxon pointed at the muzzle so Wesley would turn his head a little to grant him access to the accessory.  
“Let me take that off for you.”  
He opened the lock and the mechanism that had kept his mouth shut the whole time.  
After hearing a soft ‘click’ coming from the back of his head he could remove the muzzle.  
The faint taste of blood still lingered in his mouth and with the muzzle removed he now even noticed that his nose was bleeding.  
Jaxon wasn’t really bothered from this sight and simply pressed a tissue on his nose. He acted a little too calm for Wesley’s case.  
He handled his wounds with gentle hands and an unfaced look that sent chills down his spine.  
“I should’ve known that this wouldn’t be enough to keep you from doing stupid things. Messing around like that just because you can’t control your temper.”  
“I won’t apologise for it.”  
“I don’t want you to. Ronald briefly told me about the situation. You should be smarter when picking fights. You’d have lost no matter what … your first day here and you already made an enemy.”  
Ronald brought Wesley some water but he only shook his head. He didn’t need that.  
“It was my fault for not keeping an eye on you. I’m sorry.”  
This was … weird. Jaxon bent down in front of him to take a better look at his wounds.  
“A black eye … seriously. At least he didn’t break anything. You should keep away from that fine gentleman. Francis Oakley. He seemed impressed. Such a creep. Asking me to hand you over like this.”  
Jaxon seemed a lot more pissed about that part.  
After a while Ronald dared to speak up again.  
“Wesley, I’m very sorry about that. You got hurt because of me.”  
“Nah, don’t sweat it. I got hurt because I provoked him. The party had been boring anyway.”  
He managed to show him a soft smile which seemed to make him even more nervous than he already was. Jaxon tried to close Wesley’s shirt in the meantime but Oakley had ripped off some of the buttons when he forced it open.  
“Well, we need to fix that later … Let’s get going once you feel better, ok?”  
Wesley shook his head once more and already tried to stand up from the couch.  
“I’m fine. Let’s go.”  
Jaxon didn’t stop him nor did he put the muzzle back on. He only offered his shoulder should he be in need of some support.  
Back at the hall he stopped once to take one glass of wine which he downed in one go.  
Some of the guests were mumbling when they passed them but he didn’t really care.  
Oakley was nowhere to be found even when they left. Maybe it was better that way.

~ ° ~

Gianna had been the most scary thing that happened that night. After seeing Wesley in this state she was furious. She yelled at him for picking a fight and at Jaxon for not keeping an eye on him. Next time she would accompany them to babysit.  
“Look at your pretty face … God, this must hurt a lot.”  
She kept herself from touching his wounds and just handed him a cup of tea instead.  
“How could you be so reckless? He could’ve killed you!”  
He didn’t answer her and just took a sip from his cup.  
“I’m talking to you.” She slightly pulled on his ear which almost caused him to choke on his tea.  
“Ok ok! I’m sorry. I lost my cool there.”  
“Keep in mind that you can’t win against one of us.”  
Wesley knew that all too well. These past few days his own mortality showed itself more than he wanted it to. This still didn’t keep him from acting like …well. Himself.  
At least now after a quick shower and some more comfortable clothes he felt a lot better.  
Gianna huffed but let it slide since he seemed to get her point.  
“Do you want something to eat now?”  
“No, I’m fine.”  
“Nonsense! You look miserable. I’ll get you something.”  
She stood up and walked towards the door.  
“Why did you even feel the urge to ask me when-.”  
She interrupted him immediately.  
“Don’t question me, young man and sit tight!”  
She was really lively today and stormed off without a second glanze.  
It was annoying but somehow Wesley felt almost at ease knowing that they cared about him this much.  
Shortly after that Jaxon stepped into his room. He had gone rid of his blazer and just wore his white shirt he had underneath.  
He stopped in front of Wesley and handed him a glass with what smelled like booze.  
“Some Scotch to calm your nerves.”  
He gladly took a sip before pouring the rest into his cup with tea.  
“I’m not rattled because of what happened with Oakley.”  
“I was talking about Gianna.”  
It was silent for a while before both started laughing softly.  
“You were really brave today. I’m … really impressed.”  
“Thank you? That’s a first. Usually I don’t get praised for picking a fight.”  
“Don’t get me wrong. It wasn’t a smart move but you stick to what you believe is right. Just keep in mind that we have to stick together. You’re a brat and a hothead but we are partners and I want to help you.”  
Wesley took another sip of his tea before looking at Jaxon.  
“Listen to you being all soft and wholesome. Is the big bad bloodsucker confessing to me? How romantic.”  
Jaxon chuckled softly.  
“Look at you ruining the mood like an idiot.”  
Wesley raised his head to see the intentions behind his words but Jaxon seemed to be his old self just as fast.  
“Come on now. Take off your shirt. I’m thirsty.”  
“Now? I just showered, you know?”  
“Move, come on. ~”  
He wasn’t really in the mood now but it’s been a while since Jaxon last fed.  
Like usually Wesley took off his shirt but this time he actually laid down on his back afterwards.  
The bed was comfy and his sore body needed exactly that fluffy support.  
He couldn’t keep sitting up in this state even if he wanted, which he didn’t.  
Jaxon didn’t mind this at all and just climbed on top of him.  
“This is weird. Gianna scared you half to death in this sort of position.”  
“I don’t mind if it’s you.”  
That was because Jaxon kneeled on top of him and was not sitting on him.  
Their bodies hardly touched at all.  
After Wesley was comfy enough their routine started. Like the last two times Jaxon locked eyes with him. After a few seconds a warm and tingling feeling spread from his head all the way to his limbs. It was a pleasant feeling that even numbed the pain he had felt thanks to his little brawl earlier that night.  
Once he had a tough time keeping his eyes open Jaxon would lean in to bite into his neck. He was prepared for it and didn’t even care that it could still hurt a lot despite the spell Jaxon put on him.  
Just when he expected a stinging pain all he felt was Jaxons warm lips on his skin. He flinched and even put a hand on Jaxon’s chest.  
The vampire gently grabbed his wrists to hold his hands over his head shortly after. He never played around like this which made this situation pretty weird.  
Jaxon sucked on his skin and only nibbled without actually biting him. Just when Wesley started to struggle because of the tickling feeling Jaxon finally dug his teeth into his now flushed skin. The pain caught him by surprise and even teased a little yelp out of his chest.  
Usually Jaxon would drink a few big sips so they would be done here in no time. As for now he savoured every drop, leaving Wesley squirm in his grip.  
“Hurry up … this is weird.”  
His voice was weak and even started to tremble.  
Jaxon let go of his hands to shift his weight. Without him even noticing what he was trying to do until it already happened Jaxon had positioned himself between Wesley’s legs while putting more of his weight on the other one's chest.  
His body felt like it was burning up from the inside out. Even with his hands freed now he couldn’t even collect the strength to move the vampire.  
Still he didn’t stop trying.  
“Jaxon I swear to god. I’ll punch you in the face. Get off me.”  
After another sip Wesley felt the familiar feeling of Jaxon’s tongue when he licked over the tiny wound. Wesley relaxed a little and put his hand off Jaxon’s chest who had started to look at him once he was done.  
“What the hell did you try to do? Setting the mood? I swear you gave me some weird vibes …”  
“You really are naiv, Wesley. You act all tough, show no fear even when a strong vampire beats you up but my touch leaves you trembling? This makes me wonder what else I could do. A guy like you shouldn’t react so well and still your reactions were pretty nice. You give me a hard time here.”  
His lips brushed Wesley’s neck who didn’t know what to say at this point. Because of his lack of actions Jaxon took the chance to press a kiss on his lips.  
Wesley’s mind was spinning. For him this couldn’t be real. It had to be because he lost so much blood. These feeding sessions had left him pretty weak after all.  
Still, he could very clearly feel Jaxon's lips on his own. The kiss ended pretty fast and Jaxon got off of him just before Gianna opened the door.  
“I made you some stew. ~ Oh? Were you just feeding? Can I go next after you ate something?”  
She didn’t read the mood but noticed how red Wesley’s face was.  
“Are you alright, honey?”  
“Just … give me a minute.”  
Her gaze wandered to Jaxon who was just smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lot's of tension for the end of this chapter.  
> Pardon me but actually I'm not sorry!


End file.
